Cleopat’ra, Queen of Syria, daughter of Ptolemy Philome’ter, King of Egypt.  She first married Alexander Bala, the usurper (B.C. 149); next Deme’trius Nica’nor.  Demetrius, being taken prisoner by the Parthians, married Rodogune (3 syl.), daughter of Phraa’tes (3 syl.) the Parthian king, and Cleopatra married Antiochus Sidetes, brother of Demetrius.  She slew her son Seleucus (by Demetrius) for treason, and as this produced a revolt, abdicated in favor of her second son, Anti’ochus VIII., who compelled her to drink poison which she had prepared for himself.  P. Corneille has made this the subject of his tragedy called Rodogune (1646).

[Illustration] This is not the Cleopatra of Shakespeare’s and Dryden’s tragedies.

Cleopatra.  In his Graffiti d’Italia, William Wetmore Story gives a passionate soliloquy of the Egyptian Queen, beginning:—­

  “Here, Charmian, take my bracelets;
  They bar with a purple stain
  My arms.”

  (1868).

CLERE’MONT (2 syl.), a merry gentleman, the friend of
Dinant’.—­“Beaumont and Fletcher” The Little French Lawyer (1547).

CLER’IMOND, niece of the Green Knight, sister of Fer’ragus the giant, and bride of Valentine the brave.—­Valentine and Orson.

CLERKS (St. Nicholas’s), thieves, also called “St. Nicholas’s Clergymen,” in allusion to the tradition of “St. Nicholas and the thieves.”  Probably a play on the words Nich-olas and Old Nick may be designed.—­See Shakespeare, 1 Henry IV. act ii. sc. 1 (1597).

CLESS’AMMOR, son of Thaddu and brother of Morna (Fingal’s mother).  He married Moina, daughter of Reutha’mir (the principal man of Balclutha, on the Clyde).  It so happened that Moina was beloved by a Briton named Reuda, who came with an army to carry her off.  Reuda was slain by Clessammor; but Clessammor, being closely pressed by the Britons, fled, and never again saw his bride.  In due time a son was born, called Carthon; but the mother died.  While Carthon was still an infant, Fingal’s father attacked Balclutha, and slew Reuthama (Carthon’s grandfather).  While the boy grew to manhood, he determined on vengeance; accordingly he invaded Morven, the kingdom of Fingal, where Clessammor, not knowing who he was, engaged him in single combat, and slew him.  When he discovered that it was his son, three days he mourned for him, and on the fourth he died.—­Ossian, Carthon.

CLEVE’LAND (Barbara Villiers, Duchess of), one of the mistresses of Charles II., introduced by Sir W. Scott in Peveril of the Peak.

Cleve’land (Captain Clement), alias Vaughan [Vawn], “the pirate,” son of Norna of the Fitful Head.  He is in love with Minna Troil (daughter of Magnus Troil, the udaller of Zetland).—­Sir W. Scott, The Pirate (time, William III).

CLEVER, the man-servant of Hero Sutton, “the city maiden.”  When Hero assumed the guise of a quaker, Clever called himself Obadiah, and pretended to be a rigid quaker also.  His constant exclamation was “Umph! “—­S.  Knowles, Woman’s Wit, etc. (1838).